The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-10
Forcible Statements Concerning Insanity
and Crime-The Delegates Entertained
at Secretary Whitney's Country Seat.
Speaker Carlisle will Make No Defense
Against the Charges of MIR. Thobc.
Ex-Congressman Ward Tells Why There Is
Sad Lack of Enthusiasm and Harmony
Among the Democrats Of Indiana.
THE DOCTORS.

DoCAOR5s
The Next Congress to be Held in Berlin-Dr.
Biandford's Paper on Insanity.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9-The members of the
medical congress were photographed in a group
this morning. on the south portico and steps of
the Treasury Department building
President Davis called the general session Of
the congress to order at 10 o'clock.
DIR. Hamilton made the report of the commit
tee representing all nationalities. appointed to
select the time and place for holding the tenth
international congress. The committee was
organized by the selection of DR.. Semmola, OF
Italy, as chairman, and DR.. Assaki, of Buchar-
est, Roumania. secretary. Itwas resolved
that the congress be held in Berlin, in the year
$780, Theresoiution encountered but one ad-
verse vote. The congress unanimously ratified
the action of the committee.
DR.. Hamilton read renort embodying resolu-
tions adopted by the section military and
naval surgery and medicine The resolutions
were based upon a paper by DIR. Joseph r.
Smith, and their purport was a accommodation
of uniformity in the reports of sick an wounded
in all the armies of the world
President Davis invited DR.. c. D. Phillips,
examiner in materia medica in the University
of Edinburgh. and lecturer upon the same
branch in Westminster Hospital, London. to
preside during the delivery of the address of his
colleague. Dr. q. Fielding Blandford, of London,
one of the leading authorities of the world,
upon insanity and nervous diseases. Both DR..
Phillips and DR.. Blandford were welcomed by
the plaudits of the congress. DR.. Blandford's
address was devoid of technicalities, and was
couched in language which understood by
every layman present It was written. he said,
xuit viay IN dali hafor he of
which he was member, and for the purpose OF
eIiciting discussion. Had he known he was to
have the honor of presenting 1t to the general
congress he should have given it differently.
The paper embodied discussion of the differ
ent methods of treating different forms of in
sanity, the comparative advantages and draw
various types, and was illustrated by many ex-
periences in the speakers professional life OF
more than thirty years. 1t was listened to
throughout with profound attention.
DIR. Cordes. of Geneva proposed, in French,
vote OF thanks, ana Dr. kretchmer, of Now
York, seconded the proposition in German.
The vote was passed by acclamation.
DIR. Hamilton read the following, adopted by
the section on public and international hygiene:
Whereas, The whole community has been repeat
edly shocked by the almost daily occurrence of ter
ribe accidents many of our railroads, causing con.
sdera ole loss of ie and habitual neglect of most
elementary sanitary laws; and,
Whereas AS this section considers itself in a de-
gree the guardian Of public health; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the attention of this ninth Medical
important question, and it be requested to usa
its influence to obtain the necessary reforms.
few routine announcements were made. at.
ter which the general session adjourned. 1t will
assemble tomorrow morning at $3.50, merely for
the formal adjournment sine die.
Dr. W. w. Golding. superintendent of St
EliZabeth's Hospital for the Insane, in papek
'.lnsanity a Defense for Crime" read be-
fore the Psychological section said that insanity
is the mental manifestation of bodily disease
and not a question of knowledge of right and
The pOaition of - tO Law m,
this question, the doctor said. was most fairly
represented by the ruling OF Judge
Cox, in the Guiteau case, that the
jury must decide "whether the accused at the
time of committing the act knew the difference
between right and wrong in respect of the act.a
The trouble was that the judges have made only
a metaphy sical study of insanity. They should
spend a few weeks In a hospital and make the
acquaintance of a few crazy people. and they
would would not then be guilty Of & the alb
SON to act reasonably in regard to hit
delusions He predicted that the New
Hampshire rulings as to insanity, which Judge
prevail These rulings were that ali question:
of insanity were facts for the jury to determine,
and not rulings for the court He further pre-.
dcted the abolition of the knowledge of right.
and-wrong test as applied to insanity, and that
law and medicine would unite on this test ques
tion fact for the jury to decide, viz Did
the crime result from the insanity of the de
fendantl
A reception was rendered to the congress thh
afternoon by Secretary Whitney, at his country
residence, Grassands. In the unavoidable ab
sence of the Secretary, the honors were done by
DR.. Gunnell. Surgeon general of the navy. After
the reception ceremonies, collation. was served
on the lawn.
Grumbie Over Their Treatment
w ashln gton Special in Philadelphia Press
1t is claimed by the officials that out of the 2
sol delegates registered $50 foreigners. By
actual count of alleged official list provided al
the Office of registration, but Ill found. and
it is stated that only thirty forty were
omitted. No figures of reliable nature are,
attainable. There is profound grumb
ling among the foreign delegates at the way
they are being treated. One Of the most emf
nent of the foreigners. and one who occupies
high position IN the congress. said to-day that
he had attended many medical congresses, but
never had he seen any so barren of scientific ra-
suits. or so marked by want of courtesy to this
guests of the congress. He referred to Copen-
hagen presenting a marked contrast to the
treatment at Washington, but stated his pro-
found conviction that if the original committee
had remained in power, every thing would have
been different.
A couple of English physicians were seen to-
day whose plight seemed to be ptiable They
were wandering around Willard's Hall seeking
information regarding entertainments. The
treasurer had gone, although it only 3
o'clock; the bureau of information was ignorant
on all needed points and SO the Britishers let off
steam. They referred TO the perfect arrange
ments for the comfort of visitors in London in
1881. the willing exclusion of the English
for the greater entertainments for
the benefit of their foreign guests and the con-
slant round of pleasure. scientific and social to
which all were invited. Here" said one of the
two, 1--WE 10 not meet the Americans whose names
we know best, and we unwilling regard
the great mass of respectable farmers and un-
dertakers who seem to be delegates properly
representing the profession in this country:
A gain, we are stopping at OF the principal
hotels. sleeping three in a room and paying full
rates. No one pays any attention 70 us. and II
we want to go anywhere we have to fight for in
formation first and Invitations afterwards
Ii IS said the famous French surgeon, LIE
Forte, who represented France at the opening
Of the congress- refused to attend the section on
surgery. and after spending yesterday at the
Army Medical Museum, he left this morning
isgusted Another story has 1t that Charpen-
tier, the French obs.etrician, was only pre-